hear you helped organize this evening, she says.

Thank you so much.

Then, smile slipping not **

one inch, she lowers her voice.

I.

also hear the two of you have become rather close. I do hope 435.

you understand the nature of politics. Scandal will not be tolerated. My people will **

see to that. Perhaps a mutual decision to move on with your separate lives is wise.

Mom pauses, but Hannah gives no immediate response. I wait for a threat. Instead Mom offers a bribe.

I've told my personal assistant to see what he can do about your outstanding student loans.

Hannah remains quiet for several seconds, as the weight of Mom's words sinks in. She glances over **

at Daddy, who has found her a glass of champagne. He smiles, but she doesn't dare smile back.

Before he can rejoin her, she meets Mom's steady gaze.

And all she says is, I understand.

436.

She's In Over Her Head And she 100 percent knows it. Mom will kick her figurative butt if she chooses to disregard the overt **

warning. Instead, play it smart, come out way, way ahead. Mom, of course, is truly the smart one.

Give Hannah a way out, but make it clear she'd better latch onto it. Run with it. Run.

Funny, because, wrapped up in my own little corner of the universe, **

I always thought it was Daddy who carried the power here.

Now I see how wrong I was. Now I see why **

he wields such a big stick when Mom **

isn't around. It's the only way he **

can feel like even half a **

man.

437.

Daddy Returns Offers her the glass of bubbly.

I keep my back half to them, at a respectful distance, but close enough to successfully eavesdrop.

Daddy doesn't notice me at all.

So what did she have to say?

he asks.

I assume she issued some sort of threat?

A glance over my shoulder reveals Hannah, sipping Dom and scanning the room.

She said to take a hike. What else?

I see.

Daddy clears his throat.

And do you plan to take orders from my wife? Depending on what happens tonight, she'll --.

You said the magic word, Ray --.

wife. I've always known this would be a temporary fling. This is probably a good time to end it.

She hands her glass to Daddy, kisses him softly on the cheek, starts out the door. He looks like he's going to follow her, but...

438.

Just Then Someone Turns Up The volume on the television, where regular programming has been interrupted for an election update. The polls closed hours ago and returns trickle in. In the Twenty-fourth U.S. Congressional District, Kay Gardella currently leads with 52 percent of the vote.

That comes as little surprise to me, of course. A cheer goes up in the room. Unless there's a major turnaround, Mom's got it in the bag. Looks very much like we've lost her for good.

I look at Daddy, who is torn between running after Hannah and strutting beside his wife, the likely congresswoman.

Guess who wins out. Hannah's gone, he's still here, where the votes are. I so despise politics. Pit them against family. Pit them against love. The Game conquers, always.

439.

Raeanne By Midnight Mom is declared the official winner. Everyone toasts, a final round of good cheer before the bar is closed for the night. Oops. Make that morning. I decide to join them.

One more before beddy-bye.

Despite several champagnes, sleep will not come easily to me, not tonight. I might have to tap into my pill stash. I ignore the well-wishers and reporters, go to the window. Hannah's lights are out. Wonder if that's over for good, or if Daddy will coax her back.

If I were the type to wager, I'd place my bet on Mom.

Especially now, despite the fact that before we know it, she'll be gone, off to DC for the foreseeable (and perhaps unforeseeable) future.

Who cares? She's not here, even when she is here, now and always.

440.

Kaeleigh Has Withdrawn From the party, crawled away somewhere to sulk and cry.

Not me. Fuck it. The more Mom's gone, the less the stress.

Always plenty of that, nibbling away at us. Who needs more?

And hey, now that this election is over, no more good behavior.

Ha! Like I've behaved so well over the past eleven months.

And, really, with elections every two years, I've only got a year to be bad.

But incumbents generally have the upper hand, so no worries.

Shit, if I don't quit conversing with myself, they'll institutionalize me.

I'm not conversing with myself out loud, am I? Okay, where's the champagne?

441.

I Finally Limp Off to bed around two.

No school tomorrow, I figure.

We'll still be celebrating.

At least Mom definitely will.

I'm celebrating pretty good right now, on two Oxy and enough bubbly to give me hiccups for days.

Oh yeah, I'm floating, okay.

But I don't like how it feels. I desperately want solid ground.

Like I've ever even once in my life stood on solid ground.

442.

The Telephone Wakes Me It has rung incessantly, but not enough, it seems, to wake Mom and Daddy, who partied well **

into the wee hours of morning.

Their phones are likely unplugged.

I drag myself from beneath the covers, head pounding.